The Life-Saving Stations of the Outer Banks: Where They Were—and How They Live On Today

From Corolla to Ocracoke, the Outer Banks’ historic U.S. Life-Saving Service stations stood guard over one of the most treacherous stretches of the Atlantic. Built beginning in 1874 and later folded into the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, these stations housed keepers and surfmen who drilled relentlessly and charged into impossible seas to haul shipwreck victims to safety. Many are gone, but a surprising number survive—some as museums, some as restaurants or offices, and some restored in out-of-the-way places that still feel wild.

Below is a north-to-south guide to the best-known stations on today’s Outer Banks—where they stood, and what they’re used for now.

Northern Beaches & Currituck

Currituck (Jones Hill / Currituck Beach) – Corolla

Then: One of the original 1874 stations, later replaced by a 1904 station house.
Now: The 1904 station was moved about six miles north near Penny’s Hill and is privately owned; the original 1874 house no longer survives

Poyners Hill – Carova/Corolla 4x4

Then: Established 1878, rebuilt 1904–08.
Now: The older station was moved into Corolla and is used as a private home; the later station burned in the early 1970s.

Wash Woods (Deal’s Island) – Corolla 4x4

Then: 1878 Life-Saving Service station; a new Chatham-style Coast Guard station was built in 1917.
Now: Restored and long used as a Twiddy & Company office and special-use property; associated structures like the boathouse and tower have also been restored or replicated.

Caffey’s Inlet – Duck

Then: Among the first 1874 stations near today’s Dare–Currituck line.
Now: The Lifesaving Station Restaurant at the Sanderling Resort—a beloved spot for three meals a day, housed in the historic station building.

Kitty Hawk – Milepost ~4–5

Then: Built in 1874; the crew famously crossed paths with the Wright Brothers.
Now: The station is the Black Pelican Oceanfront Restaurant; the building was moved inland and adapted for dining while retaining its historic character.

Kill Devil Hills – near modern Wright Brothers Memorial

Then: Station #13 (1878), active through the early 1930s.
Now: The historic station was relocated to Historic Corolla Village in the 1980s; after restoration by the Twiddy family it has served as a private office and previously as a real estate office.

Nags Head

Then: Early 1874 station and a 1912 replacement.
Now: No station structures survive here; the last was lost in the 1962 Ash Wednesday Storm.

Bodie Island & Oregon Inlet

Bodie Island Life-Saving/Coast Guard Station – south of Nags Head

Then: Complex includes the 1878/79 Life-Saving Station, 1903 boathouse, and 1925 Coast Guard station, all moved slightly over time due to erosion.
Now: Renovated and shared by the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as offices and storage, located at the entrance road to the Bodie Island Lighthouse.

Oregon Inlet Life-Saving Station – Pea Island near Rodanthe

Then: Shingle-style 1897/98 station guarding the ever-shifting inlet.
Now: Vacant and deteriorating but still standing; preservation partners and agencies have explored options to stabilize/relocate it.

Pea Island & Hatteras Island

Pea Island Life-Saving Station – north Hatteras Island

Then: Famous as the nation’s first all-Black crew under Keeper Richard Etheridge; the original station burned and later versions were decommissioned by 1947.
Now: At the refuge HQ area, foundation remnants mark the site; the story is preserved at the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum and a bronze statue of Etheridge in Manteo.

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station – Rodanthe

Then: One of the earliest stations (1874), later expanded; renowned rescues are part of OBX lore.
Now: A museum and historic site with multiple restored buildings; in season, you can even catch a breeches-buoy rescue reenactment.

Little Kinnakeet Life-Saving Station – north of Avon

Then: Another 1874 complex protecting the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”
Now: Beautifully restored on National Park Service land; for the first time in 2024–2025, the Park Service began guided interior tours in summer (a rare treat).

Cape Hatteras / Hatteras Inlet / Durants / Creed’s Hill / Gull Shoal / Big Kinnakeet (Buxton–Hatteras corridor)

Then: A chain of additional stations filled the gaps down-island.
Now: Several sites are archaeological or non-extant; some later Coast Guard buildings remain within Cape Hatteras National Seashore. (For an overview and planning notes, see the Park Service’s Life-Saving Service summary.)

Ocracoke

Ocracoke Life-Saving/Coast Guard

Then: An early 1880s station in the village was followed by a 1904 station; the U.S. Coast Guard later operated at the south end of the island.
Now: The current USCG Station Ocracoke is a modest, modern site on NPS land; elements associated with the historic village station (like the old boathouse) are interpreted locally. (The village saw significant losses after Hurricane Dorian in 2019.)

How to See Them Today

Step into history in Rodanthe: Tour Chicamacomico’s museum campus and ask about summer demonstrations—there’s nothing more vivid than seeing the gear up close.
Look for open-house/tour days: Little Kinnakeet runs Friday afternoon ranger-led tours in summer (subject to change—check NPS calendars).
Pair history with a meal: Dine at Black Pelican (Kitty Hawk) or the Lifesaving Station Restaurant (Duck) and eat inside bona fide rescue history.
Spot repurposed stations in Corolla Village: The relocated Kill Devil Hills station and other historic structures anchor the village’s preservation vibe.
Bodie Island stop: When you visit the lighthouse, note the cluster of white buildings at the entrance—the Bodie Island Life-Saving/Coast Guard complex, now NPS/USFWS workspace.
Oregon Inlet: You can view the 1898 station from a distance on Pea Island; it’s closed but remains a striking silhouette on the dunes as preservation plans evolve.

Why They Matter

These stations are the human heartbeat behind the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Their keepers were OBX watermen—practiced oarsmen and beach-patrol walkers—whose timed drills, surf-boat launches, and breeches-buoy rescues saved thousands. Today’s museums, restaurants, and restored buildings keep their stories alive, anchoring each town with a tangible link to grit, courage, and seamanship.